The small town of Portageville, Missouri, has been shaken to its core this week after the body of 18-year-old Kaniah Jennings was found in rural Pemiscot County, nearly two weeks after she was first reported missing. The discovery has left friends, family and community members reeling—and investigators say the case is one of the most harrowing they’ve seen.
Kaniah was last seen at her home in Portageville on the evening of Monday, November 3, 2025. Concern grew quickly when she wasn’t heard from, and the local Hayti Police Department called in support from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) to help trace her last steps.
On Friday, November 14, MSHP announced that Kaniah’s body had been located in a rural area of Pemiscot County, and her family had been notified. An autopsy has been scheduled through the St. Francois County Coroner’s Office.
Investigators say that in the days after her disappearance, three men ended up with serious charges tied to what they describe as a senseless killing. According to the probable-cause documents and announcements, those charged are:
Keenan Peoples, 34, of Hayti — charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape, and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.
Blake Patrick, 18, of East Prairie — charged with accessory to first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape, first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, two counts of stealing a firearm, and stealing more than $750.
Donald Peoples Jr., 38, of Hayti — charged with accessory to first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.
Court records show that Kaniah was last seen at 206 North Ash Street in Hayti — the home of the Peoples brothers. According to investigators, cell-phone data, surveillance footage and other digital forensics placed her in that house at the very time the three men were present. The documents allege the men drove to Portageville on November 3, picked her up at her home, then returned to Hayti. While at the Hayti home, one of the men allegedly put socks in Kaniah’s mouth, forced sexual contact, tied her up, covered her head with a blanket, and ultimately caused her death. Her body was later moved to the location where it was found.
The timeline: Kaniah disappears November 3; the search intensifies, with Patrick initially arrested the next day for unrelated vehicle theft and weapons charges that later tied into the investigation. The two Peoples brothers were later arrested for tampering with evidence—burning security-system DVRs, deleting messages—before the murder charges were formally lodged.
Investigators say the death is being treated as homicide, and full autopsy results are pending. “We will continue to look into the circumstances,” MSHP said. Meanwhile, the community of Portageville, Hayti and surrounding Southeast Missouri is lifting up Kaniah’s friends, classmates, family and the law-enforcement teams seeking answers.
In the midst of this tragedy, the call has gone out for anyone with information to contact Troop E headquarters of MSHP at 573-840-9500. Anyone in the area who saw or heard something out of the ordinary that night is urged to step forward.
As the investigation continues and more details remain under wraps, one thing is clear: a young life was taken under horrific circumstances, and three people now face the weight of justice. Kaniah’s family, friends and community deserve answers—and a voice for her.
